Paper napkin



Nov. 6, 1934. P. A. FISCHER 1,979,876

PAPER NAPKIN Filed Jan. 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l P. A. FISCHER Nov. 6, 1934.

PAPER NAPKIN Filed Jan] 6, 1952 2 Sheets$heet 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHCE This invention is a paper napkin or the like provided. with cut-away portions at the edges, so placed and so shaped that when the napkin is folded in any of the ordinary ways of folding,

6 an edge thereof will be exposed through one or more of the cut-away portions, whereby the napkin can be readily and quickly opened without any diificulty in separating the plies, as by blowing or the like.

1 More specifically, the several edges of the napkin are provided with cut-away portions which are laterally displaced with respect to each other, so that when the napkin is folded about either coordinate axis or about the diagonal axis the several cut-away or cut-out portions will not register with each other, but will expose a portion of the edge of the napkin for gripping with the fingers of the user so that it may be readily and quickly opened.

This is in part a continuation of my prior application, serially numbered 315,989, filed October 30, 1928 now Patent No. 1,844,468, dated February 9, 1932, and entitled iaper napkin.

While the invention may be carried out in a number of different ways, the preferred embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a napkin provided with cutaway portions at the corners of the napkin, in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 shows the napkin of Figure 1 folded about one coordinate axis;

Figure 3 shows the napkin of Figure 1 folded about the other coordinate axis;

Figure 4 shows the napkin of Figure 1 folded about a diagonal axis;

Figure 5 shows another modification;

Figures 6, 7 and 8 show the napkin of Figure 5 folded about two coordinate axes, and a diagonal axis, respectively;

Figure 9 shows another modification, and

Figures 10 and 11 show the napkin of Figure 9 folded about the X axis and a diagonal axis.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, the napkin, substantially square or rectangular in shape, is provided with cut-away portions which are formed by cutting off each corner of the napkin in an unsymmetrical manner; that is to say, each corner of the napkin is out off, the lines of out being shown as 1-2, 3-4, 5--6, and. 78. As will be seen from Figure 1, these cuts are so made that the napkin is unsymmetrical about both its X axis and its Y axis. More specifically, the points 1, 3, 5 and '7 are slightly nearer to the original corners of the napkin than the points 2, 4, 6 and 8, the result of which is that the angles 1, 3, 5 and 7 are slightly more acute than the angles 2, 4, 6 and 8. Points 2 and '7; 3 and 6; 1 and 4; and 8 and 5, are laterally displaced with respect to each other. One style of cut may be repeated on each or several corners by applying the cut successively and similarly to the corners of the napkin.

Referring to Figure 2, where the napkin is shown as folded about the X axis, it will be seen that the corners 1 and 3 are exposed, looking at the napkin from the top, While the corners 7 and 5 are exposed looking at it from the other side.

Referring to Figure 3, where the napkin is folded about the Y axis, it will be seen that the corners 3 and 5 are exposed, when looking at the napkin from one side and the corners 1 and 7 are exposed when looking at the napkin from the other side.

Referring to Figure 4, it will be seen that the corners 3 and 5 are exposed when looking at the napkin from one side while the corners 1 and 7 are exposed when looking at it from the other side. 30

In each of the three folds shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, four gripping points are provided.

The precise shape and form of the cut-away portions may be varied considerably, and they may be combined in various ways; some of these variations are shown in Figures 5 to 7. In Figure 5, one corner is provided with cut-away portions or notches 10 and 11, defining a tab 12. The opposite corner is rounded or cut away along the line 13. A third corner is cut away on the line 14-15 and the fourth corner is cut away along the line 1617, as in Figure 1. Figure 6 shows the napkin as folded about X axis, while Figure '7 shows it folded about the Y axis. Figure 8 shows the napkin folded about a diagonal axis.

Referring now to Figures 9, 10 and 11 the napkin is provided with diagonally opposite cutaway corners defined by the lines 20, 21 and 22, 23, placed so that when the napkin is folded about a diagonal axis through the other two corners, they fall out of registry, just as in Figure 4.

The other two corners of the napkin are provided with tabs 24 and 25 unsymmetrically 100 placed with respect to each other so that they fall out of registry, as shown in Figure 11.

It will be noted in all of the forms illustrated the cut-away portions expose the opposite edges of the napkin, so that in any position in which it may be folded, it can be quickly and readily opened.

In the several figures, the napkin is shown folded only once; additional folds may, of course, be made, as necessary or desirable.

While the invention has been particularly disclosed as applied to a paper napkin, it should be understood that the invention may be applied to other elements which are in folded contact with one another and which, from time to time need to be separated, examples of this being the leaves in books, ledgers, notebooks, tickets, programs, pamphlets, catalogues, timetables, periodicals, magazines and the like.

While I have illustrated my invention in some detail, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact forms shown but may be carried out in other ways, as ex pressed Within the scope of the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A substantially rectangular paper napkin bounded by four substantially, straight sides, the opposite sides being parallel and having at least one corner which is cut off along a diagonal line at an angle of less than forty-five degrees from one adjacent edge and more than forty-five degress from the other adjacent edge at right angles to the aforementioned adjacent edge, forming a polygon with at least five sides, whereby when the napkin is folded about a vertical, horizontal or diagonal axis a porton of the corner opposite to the diagonal cut ofi" is exposed by said out off, which exposed corner may be grasped by the user in opening the folded napkin.

2. A substantially rectangular paper napkin bounded by four substantially straight sides, the opposite sides being parallel and having each corner cut ofi along a diagonal line which is at an angle of less than forty-five degrees from one adjacent edge and more than forty-five degrees from the other adjacent edge at right angles to the aforementioned adjacent edge, forming a polygon with eight sides and opposite sides parallel, whereby when the napkin is folded about a vertical, horizontal or diagonal axis a portion of the corner opposite to each diagonal out off is exposed by said cut off, which exposed corner may be grasped by the user in opening the folded napkin.

3. A substantially rectangular paper napkin bounded by four substantially straight sides, the opposite sides being parallel and having two corners each of which is cut off along a diagonal line at an angle of less than forty-five degrees from one adjacent edge and more than fortyfive degrees from the other adjacent edge at right angles to the aforementioned adjacent edge, forming a polygon with six sides, whereby when the napkin is folded about a vertical, horizontal or diagonal axis a portion of the corner opposite to each diagonal cut off is exposed by said out off, which exposed corner may be grasped by the user in opening the folded napkin.

PHILIP A. FISCHER. 

